# Determination of IL-6 Gene Promoter Polymorphism in Patients with Hepatitis C and Its Impact on RNA Secondary Structure

## TL;DR

This study examines how genetic variations in the IL-6 gene promoter affect inflammation in Hepatitis C patients and how these changes influence RNA structure.

## Contribution

The study identifies a strong association between IL-6 gene promoter polymorphisms and HCV infection in the Punjab population.

## Key findings

- The −174G>C and −1363G>T polymorphisms show strong allelic association in HCV patients.
- Bioinformatics analysis aligns with experimental data on IL-6 gene expression variations.
- These polymorphisms may dysregulate IL-6 levels in patients with Hepatitis C.

## Abstract

Background and Objectives: A polymorphism in the promoter region of the IL-6 gene would influence the level of IL-6 expression in patients with HCV, resulting in a pro-inflammatory response. Few studies have shown the association between −174G>C (rs1800795) and −1363G>T (rs2069827) polymorphisms and HCV infection, and their results have been contradictory. There are no data published in our population to study such an IL-6 stimulus against HCV infection and its impact on RNA secondary structure. Therefore, we isolated human subjects from the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The objective was to screen for IL-6 gene promoter polymorphisms −174G/C and −1363G/T and those correlated with serum concentrations of IL-6 in patients with HCV and compared with a control. Materials and Methods: In conventional PCR, measurement of serum IL-6 by CLIA and statistical analysis were performed to observe the genotype association studies. By integrating bioinformatics and computational tools, our study aimed to provide a comprehensive understanding of how variations in the promoter region of IL-6 may have functional implications on gene expression. Results: The −174G>C and −1363G>T genotypes in the promoter region of patients with HCV were in strong allelic association (Δ = 0.97, p < 0.001). Interestingly, the bioinformatics analysis was well aligned with our experimental data. Conclusions: Based on the data, it can be inferred that IL-6 gene promoter polymorphisms are important in the dysregulation of IL-6 levels in patients with HCV.